Heavin and McCabe take up manager posts with local clubs

FORMER Westmeath star Derek Heavin is poised to become the new manager of Castledaly's senior football team. Heavin, 32, missed the entire 2011 campaign through a horrific knee injury sustained while playing for Westmeath against Louth in July, 2010. He recently indicated he won't be returning to the playing field, and will be concentrating on coaching for the immediate future. A Leinster medal winner with Westmeath in 2004, Heavin will hope to take his considerable playing experience and knowledge into management with his home club Castledaly. Heavin, who acted as a selector with Castledaly this year, is expected to be ratified as manager at this Friday night's Annual General Meeting of Castledaly GAA club. He will replace Graham Geraghty who managed the club for the 2011 season. Geraghty helped Castledaly to the quarter-finals of this year's Westmeath SFC - but with the 1999 All-Ireland winning captain joining the Meath management team as a selector - his tenure with the Westmeath outfit has came to an end. Meanwhile, Tubberclair have also been busy appointing a new manager, with former Garrycastle boss Martin McCabe taking the helm there. A three-time Westmeath SFC winner with Garrycastle, McCabe will be hoping to return Tubberclair to senior level following relegation to intermediate this year. A native of Co Cavan, McCabe has been a long-term resident in the Athlone area, and this year managed the Athlone IT Sigerson Cup team. McCabe recently guided Tubberclair's minor team to Division 2 glory, and the club will be delighted to appoint a manager of such experience and local knowledge. Despite boasting experienced stars such as Gary Connaughton and Fergal Wilson, and the more youthful exuberance and talents of the Coffey brothers, Alan and Ian, Tubberclair were badly affected by emigration and injury problems last year, culminating in a relegation play-off defeat to Athlone in September. Tubberclair have enjoyed both joy and heartbreak over the past ten years or so, winning the Westmeath IFC in 2002, before getting relegated from senior in 2007. With Tom Lennon in charge, they returned to the senior ranks in 2009 and that same year performed brilliantly in the Leinster Club IFC, reaching the final before eventually losing to a late Maynooth rally. The position of Tubberclair senior team manager became available when this year's manager, Danny Sammon, was elected to the position of club chairman.